Patafta sticks with Jets

Newcastle young gun Kaz Patafta has agreed terms on a new deal that will keep him with the club for another two years.

Newcastle young gun Kaz Patafta has agreed terms on a new deal that will keep him with the club for another two years.

Patafta was out of contract after originally signing from Melbourne on a one-year deal in May 2008, but will now stay with the club at least until the end of the 2010/2011 Hyundai A-League season.

The 20-year-old made nine appearances for the Jets last season and also featured prominently in during the club's Asian Champions League campaign.

Newcastle chief executive officer John Tsatsimas was delighted to secure the services of the former Joeys captain.

"Kaz is obviously a young player with a great deal of potential, and an individual that we are more than happy to have stay on at the Jets," he said.

"Our club has a reputation for developing young talent and, through our coaching staff of Gary van Egmond and Mark Jones, we have certainly been at the forefront of promoting youth development in the Hyundai A-League."

"Certainly Kaz is an exciting young talent and we are only too happy to have him at our club, particularly after he has spent the past year settling in to Newcastle."

"We believe that the re-acquisition of Kaz is certainly a positive step for the club and bodes well for the weeks ahead as the team prepares for the AFC Champions League match in Pohang later this month."

The Jets will depart for Korea on June 20 to finalise preparations for their historic AFC Champions League round of 16 clash at Steelyard Stadium against K-League outfit Pohang Steelers.